U.S. patent number 7,971,711 [Application Number 11/783,908] was granted by the patent office on 2011-07-05 for folded and sealed coupon insertable in packs containing tobacco products, and a blank from which to fashion the coupon.
This patent grant is currently assigned to G.D S.p.A.. Invention is credited to Stefano Negrini, Nicola Peratello, Roberto Polloni, Michele Squarzoni.
United States Patent |
7,971,711 |
Squarzoni , et al. |
July 5, 2011 |
Folded and sealed coupon insertable in packs containing tobacco
products, and a blank from which to fashion the coupon
Abstract
A folded and sealed cigarette coupon is inserted typically
between the outermost face of a cigarette packet and its
transparent overwrap. The coupon is fashioned from a flat blank
divided by crease lines into a set of panels and extended at either
end to create a corresponding set of flaps. The panels are quarto
folded to form a substantially rectangular main body of the coupon
with the flaps combining to form a grippable closure tab along one
edge of the body, which can be torn off to open the coupon. The
flaps making up the tab are equal in number to the folded panels,
so that the thickness of the coupon remains uniform from edge to
edge in both length and breadth.
Inventors: |
Squarzoni; Michele (Ferrara,
IT), Peratello; Nicola (Bondeno, IT),
Polloni; Roberto (Modigliana, IT), Negrini;
Stefano (Calderara Di Reno, IT) |
Assignee: |
G.D S.p.A. (IT)
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Family
ID: |
38514853 |
Appl.
No.: |
11/783,908 |
Filed: |
April 13, 2007 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20070241004 A1 |
Oct 18, 2007 |
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Foreign Application Priority Data
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Apr 13, 2006 [IT] |
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BO2006A0274 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
206/242; 40/312;
206/830; 40/672 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G09F
23/02 (20130101); G09F 3/0288 (20130101); Y10S
206/83 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A24F
15/00 (20060101); G09F 3/10 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;206/242,831,232
;229/70,92.1 ;40/312,360,306,310,672 ;283/56,62,63.1,116,105,106,51
;281/2,3.1,5 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Pickett; J. Gregory
Assistant Examiner: Grano; Ernesto A
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Klima; Timothy J. Shuttleworth
& Ingersoll, PLC
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A folded and sealed coupon insertable in packs containing
tobacco products, comprising: a main body having a plurality of
panels with each panel superposed on each other panel; the main
body having first, second, third and fourth panels separated from
each other by a first crease line and a second crease line
transverse to the first crease line such that the first and second
panels are separated by the first crease line, the third and fourth
panels are separated by the first crease line, and the first and
second panels are separated from the third and fourth panels by the
second crease line; wherein the first panel and the fourth panel
are superposed respectively on the second panel and the third panel
by a folding along the first crease line such that respective
inside faces of the panels are in contact one with another, wherein
the first and second panels are superposed on the fourth and third
panels by a folding along the second crease line, such that
respective faces of the first panel and fourth panel are in contact
one with another and the folding along the second crease line
closes one edge of the main body; one grippable appendage adjoining
one edge of the main body and removable from the main body to open
the coupon, the grippable appendage formed from a plurality of
flaps extending away from one side of the superposed panels of the
main body with each flap superposed on each other flap, wherein a
number of flaps making up the grippable appendage is the same as a
number of panels making up the main body, the plurality of
superposed flaps comprising a first flap and a second flap joined
respectively to the first panel and the second panel along a
perforation line; a third flap joined to the third panel along a
perforation line; a fourth flap; a flap crease line joining the
fourth flap to only the third flap, the fourth flap not being
directly connected to any of the panels; the first flap being
positioned between the second flap and the third flap, and the
fourth flap being folded along the flap crease line to extend in a
direction back toward the panels to superpose and be sealed to an
outside face of the second flap.
2. A coupon as in claim 1, wherein a cross-sectional thickness of
the main body is identical to a cross sectional thickness of the
grippable appendage.
3. A coupon as in claim 1, wherein cross-sectional thickness of the
main body and also of the grippable appendage is equivalent to four
times a thickness of a flat blank from which the coupon is
folded.
4. A coupon as in claim 1, wherein, upon removal of the grippable
appendage from the main body, the plurality of flaps is entirely
separated from the plurality of panels.
5. A blank from which to fashion a folded and sealed coupon
insertable in packs containing tobacco products, comprising: first,
second, third and fourth panels separated from each other by a
first crease line and a second crease line transverse to the first
crease line such that the first and second panels are positioned on
opposite sides of the first crease line, the third and fourth
panels are positioned on opposite sides of the first crease line,
the first and second panels are positioned on one side of the
second crease line and the third and fourth panels are positioned
on an opposite side of the second crease line; a plurality of flaps
projecting from the panels, wherein the plurality of flaps is equal
in number to the number of the panels and wherein the panels are
identical in size and shape to one another, the plurality of flaps
comprising a first flap and a second flap positioned at one end of
the blank and joined respectively to the first panel and the second
panel along a perforation line, the first flap and second flap
extending away from the first panel and the second panel,
respectively, in a first direction parallel to the first crease
line, a tongue being positioned at an opposite end of the blank,
the tongue including a third flap joined to the third panel along a
perforation line and extending away from the third panel in a
second direction opposite to the first direction and also parallel
to the first crease line; the tongue also including a fourth flap
joined only to the third flap by a flap crease line and extending
away from the third flap in the second direction.
6. A blank as in claim 5, wherein the fourth flap is a closure flap
that is foldable along the flap crease line to overlap each of the
first, second and third flaps when the blank has been folded along
the first and second crease lines to superpose the second, first
and third flaps, the fourth flap then being fastenable to an
outside face of the second flap to seal the folded coupon.
7. A blank as in claim 5, wherein the first panel and the fourth
panel are superposable respectively on the second panel and the
third panel by folding along the first crease line, thereby
bringing respective inside faces of the panels into contact one
with another, as well as bringing inside faces of the first flap
and second flap associated with the first panel and the second
panel into contact one with another.
8. A blank as in claim 7, wherein the superposed first and second
panels are rotatable about the second crease line and into contact
with the superposed fourth and third panels, thereby bringing
respective faces of the first panel and fourth panel into contact
one with another, bringing an inside face of the third flap
associated with the third panel into contact with an outside face
of the first flap associated with the first panel, and closing an
edge of the folded blank along the second crease line, whereupon a
gummed face of the fourth flap can be offered and sealed to an
outside face of the second flap.
9. A packet of cigarettes comprising: a container occupied by a
group of cigarettes; an overwrap of heat-shrinkable material
enveloping the container; a folded and sealed coupon inserted
between the overwrap and the container, the folded and sealed
coupon comprising: a main body having a plurality of panels with
each panel superposed on each other panel; the main body having
first, second, third and fourth panels separated from each other by
a first crease line and a second crease line transverse to the
first crease line such that the first and second panels are
separated by the first crease line, the third and fourth panels are
separated by the first crease line, and the first and second panels
are separated from the third and fourth panels by the second crease
line; wherein the first panel and the fourth panel are superposed
respectively on the second panel and the third panel by a folding
along the first crease line such that respective inside faces of
the panels are in contact one with another, wherein the first and
second panels are superposed on the fourth and third panels by a
folding along the second crease line, such that respective faces of
the first panel and fourth panel are in contact one with another
and the folding along the second crease line closes one edge of the
main body; one grippable appendage adjoining one edge of the main
body and removable from the main body to open the coupon, the
grippable appendage formed from a plurality of flaps extending away
from one side of the superposed panels of the main body with each
flap superposed on each other flap, wherein a number of flaps
making up the grippable appendage is the same as a number of panels
making up the main body, the plurality of superposed flaps
comprising a first flap and a second flap joined respectively to
the first panel and the second panel along a perforation line; a
third flap joined to the third panel along a perforation line; a
fourth flap; a flap crease line joining the fourth flap to only the
third flap, the fourth flap not being directly connected to any of
the panels; the first flap being positioned between the second flap
and the third flap, and the fourth flap being folded along the flap
crease line to extend in a direction back toward the panels to
superpose and be sealed to an outside face of the second flap.
10. A packet as in claim 9, wherein, upon removal of the grippable
appendage from the main body, the plurality of flaps is entirely
separated from the plurality of panels.
11. A folded and sealed coupon insertable in packs containing
tobacco products, comprising: a main body having a plurality of
panels with each panel superposed on each other panel to form a
stack of panel layers; one grippable appendage adjoining one edge
of the main body and removable from the main body to open the
coupon, the grippable appendage formed from a plurality of flaps
extending from the panels of the main body with each flap
superposed on each other flap to form a stack of flap layers,
wherein a number of flap layers making up the grippable appendage
is the same as a number of panel layers making up the main body;
the coupon being constructed from a blank having first, second,
third and fourth panels separated from each other by a first crease
line and a second crease line transverse to the first crease line
such that the first and second panels are positioned on opposite
sides of the first crease line, the third and fourth panels are
positioned on opposite sides of the first crease line, and the
first and second panels are positioned on one side of the second
crease line and the third and fourth panels are positioned on an
opposite side of the second crease line; wherein the plurality of
flaps is equal in number to the number of the panels and wherein
the panels are identical in size and shape to one another, the
plurality of flaps comprising a first flap and a second flap
positioned at one end of the blank and joined respectively to the
first panel and the second panel along a perforation line, the
first flap and second flap extending away from the first panel and
the second panel, respectively, in a first direction parallel to
the first crease line, a tongue being positioned at an opposite end
of the blank, the tongue including a third flap joined to the third
panel along a perforation line and extending away from the panel in
a second direction opposite to the first direction and also
parallel to the first crease line; the tongue also including a
fourth flap joined only to the third flap by a flap crease line and
extending away from the third flap in the second direction.
12. A coupon as in claim 11, wherein, upon removal of the grippable
appendage from the main body, the plurality of flaps is entirely
separated from the plurality of panels.
13. A coupon as in claim 11, wherein the first panel and a fourth
panel are superposable respectively on the second panel and the
third panel by folding along the first crease line, thereby
bringing respective inside faces of the panels into contact one
with another, as well as bringing inside faces of the first flap
and second flap associated with the first panel and the second
panel into contact one with another.
14. A coupon as in claim 11, wherein the superposed first and
second panels are rotatable about the second crease line and into
contact with the superposed fourth and third panels, thereby
bringing respective faces of the first panel and fourth panel into
contact one with another, bringing an inside face of the third flap
associated with the third panel into contact with an outside face
of the first flap associated with the first panel, and closing one
edge of the coupon along the second crease line, whereupon a gummed
face of the fourth flap can be offered and sealed to an outside
face of the second flap.
Description
This application claims priority to Italy Patent Application No.
BO2006A 000274, filed Apr. 13, 2006, which application is
incorporated by reference herein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a folded and sealed coupon
insertable in a pack serving to contain tobacco products, and to a
blank from which a coupon of the type in question is fashioned.
In particular, the invention relates to a cigarette coupon
furnished with a tamper-resistant closure and insertable in a
retail pack. More exactly, coupons of this description are
interposed typically between a packet of cigarettes, or a carton
containing multiple packets of cigarettes, and a relative overwrap
layer formed from a leaf of transparent material.
Conventionally, folded coupons are prepared from a blank appearing
as a substantially rectangular flat sheet, with crease lines placed
so as to delimit a set of panels superposable one on another by
means of suitable folding steps. The blank also presents flaps
projecting from the ends of respective panels and superposable
similarly one on another as a result of the aforementioned folding
steps.
Once the panels and flaps have been folded, the flaps are gummed
and sealed together, in such a way as to fashion a coupon of
closed, tamper-resistant design appearing as an essentially
rectangular body with a grippable appendage providing a tear-off
tab.
In general, coupons of the type in question will carry information
of a confidential nature on the inside faces of the folded panels,
intended for the eyes only of the individual purchasing the pack.
For example, coupons with a tamper-resistant closure can be used to
announce prize draw competitions, or as envelopes in which to place
further paper inserts.
To facilitate the step of opening the coupon, the blank is scored
with perforation lines between the panels and the respective
flaps.
To reiterate, the coupons are associated with packs of tobacco
products, such as packets of cigarettes, in such as way as to
remain visible from the outside.
Accordingly, the coupon is placed between the outer surface of the
cigarette packet and a protective transparent overwrap, provided
generally by a leaf of heat-shrinkable sheet plastic material
folded around the packet and then warmed in such a manner as will
cause it to stretch tight across the outer surface.
To form the tamper-resistant closure on the coupon, normally, a
flap projecting from one end of one outer face presented by the
coupon is folded, gummed and secured to a flap projecting from the
opposite outer face.
With this style of closure, the grippable tear-off portion presents
a thickness different from that presented by the main body of the
coupon.
Consequently, where a coupon is associated with the pack, the
operation of welding and/or heat-shrinking the overwrap can lead to
the formation of creases in the transparent material, caused by the
difference or discontinuity in thickness between the body of the
coupon and the tear-off portion.
This same disparity in thickness of the coupon can also occasion
drawbacks affecting the manner in which the coupons are stored in
the overwrapping unit. In effect, the packs are overwrapped, and
the coupons inserted, by machine units equipped with a hopper in
which the coupons are stacked one on top of another. The coupons do
not stack properly by reason of the fact that they will tend to
assume a position angled downward toward the appendages which, as
intimated previously, are thinner than the folded panels.
The object of the present invention is to provide a folded and
sealed coupon insertable in packs for tobacco products, and a blank
from which to fashion the coupon, such as will be unaffected by the
above noted drawbacks.
One particular object of the present invention is to provide a
folded and sealed coupon that can be overwrapped without giving
rise to the formation of creases in the overwrap material.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The stated object is realized according to the present invention in
a folded and sealed coupon insertable in packs containing tobacco
products, composed of main body presenting a plurality of panels
superposable one on another, and a grippable, forcibly removable
appendage functioning as a closure, adjoining the main body and
consisting in a plurality of superposable flaps extending from
respective panels, wherein the flaps making up the grippable
appendage are equal in number to the panels making up the main
body.
The aforementioned object is realized similarly in a blank from
which to fashion a coupon insertable in a pack containing tobacco
products, substantially of rectangular outline and comprising a
plurality of panels delimited by a longitudinal crease line and a
transverse crease line, and a plurality of flaps projecting from
the panels, wherein the number of flaps is equal to the number of
panels.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will now be described in detail, by way of example,
with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 shows a folded and sealed coupon according to the present
invention, viewed in perspective;
FIG. 2 is the plan view of a blank from which to fashion the coupon
of FIG. 1;
FIGS. 3 and 4 are perspective views of the blank in FIG. 2, shown
in two successive partially folded configurations assumed in the
process of fashioning the coupon as in FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 shows a packet of cigarettes furnished with the coupon of
FIG. 1, viewed in perspective;
FIG. 6 shows an enlarged detail of FIG. 5, viewed in
perspective.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, numeral 1 denotes a folded and
sealed coupon.
The present invention relates specifically to a folded and sealed
coupon 1 such as can be associated with packs containing tobacco
products, typically packets of cigarettes, interposed for example
between one outer face of a single packet and the relative covering
of transparent overwrap material.
The coupon 1 comprises a substantially rectangular main body 2
consisting in a plurality of panels 3 superposed one on another,
and a grippable appendage, or tab 4, projecting from and adjoining
one end or one side of the body 2.
In particular, the aforementioned appendage 4 is associated with
one end 2a of the main body 2 and consists in a plurality of flaps
5, superposed one on another and sealed in at least one
predetermined area. Thus, the coupon 1 can be opened up by removing
the grippable appendage 4, as will become clear in the course of
the present specification.
As readily discernible from FIG. 1 and FIG. 6, the main body 2
presents a plurality of panels 3 equal in number to the number of
flaps 5 making up the grippable appendage 4.
More precisely, the main body 2 consists of four such panels 3
offered in face to face contact one to another, and the appendage 4
likewise consists of four flaps 5 offered in contact one to
another.
With reference also to FIG. 2, the coupon 1 is obtained from a
substantially rectangular blank 6 divided by a longitudinal crease
line L and by a transverse crease line T into four rectangular
panels denoted 7, 8, 9 and 10, identical one to another.
The faces of the panels 7, 8, 9 and 10 visible in FIG. 2 are those
on which text, pictures or other printed matter will appear.
The panels 7 and 9 on the left of the transverse crease line T, as
viewed in FIG. 2, are furnished along the edges remote from the
crease line T with respective flaps 11 and 12 identical one to
another and joined to the panels along a perforation line 13. The
end of the panel denoted 10 positioned remote from the transverse
crease line T is extended, beyond a relative perforation line 14,
to form a tongue 15 divided by a crease line 16 into two flaps 17
and 18 identical one to another and to the flaps 11 and 12
mentioned previously.
Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the sequence of folds required to
fashion the blank 6 into a coupon 1 as illustrated in FIG. 1 will
now be described.
The two panels denoted 7 and 8 and the associated flap 11 are
rotated 180.degree. about the longitudinal crease line L in a
counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 3, so as to position
the flap 11 and the two panels 7 and 8 in face to face contact with
the adjoining flap 12 and the two adjoining panels 9 and 10,
respectively. The outer faces of the latter two panels 9 and 10
will be the faces of the folded coupon 1 ultimately remaining
exposed to view.
Thereafter, a further 180.degree. fold is made in the clockwise
direction, as viewed in FIG. 3, whereby the portion composed of the
two flaps 11 and 12 and the two panels 7 and 9 brought together by
making the first fold are rotated as one about the transverse
crease line T in such a way that the panel denoted 7 is offered
directly to the panel denoted 8, and the innermost flap 11 offered
to the flap denoted 17, as illustrated in FIG. 4.
The closure of the coupon 1 is completed by causing the endmost
flap 18, or closure flap, to bend around the crease line 16 and
rotate into a position of full frontal contact with the flap 12
still exposed on the opposite face. In this way, all the elements
making up the two portions of the blank 6, namely the folded pair
of panels denoted 7 and 9, and the folded pair of panels denoted 8
and 10, are flattened and secured together.
The aforementioned closure step is preceded by a gumming step in
which a layer of adhesive is applied to the face of the closure
flap 18 destined to bond with the flap 12 against which it is
folded. It will be seen in FIG. 6 that the thickness "S" of the
grippable appendage 4 thus created is equal to the thickness
presented by the body 2 of the coupon 1, and more exactly, the
combined thicknesses presented by the two portions of the coupon 1
are equal to four times the thickness of the blank 6.
FIG. 5 shows the coupon 1 associated with a pack consisting in a
packet of cigarettes 19.
The packet 19 comprises a container 20 proportioned to accommodate
a group of cigarettes not visible in the accompanying drawings. The
container 20 is of parallelepiped shape, and enveloped in an
overwrap 21 that provides a protective outer covering for the
packet 19. The overwrap 21 is made of a transparent and
heat-shrinkable material.
A folded coupon 1 of the type described above can be inserted
between the transparent overwrap 21 and the container 20, in such a
way as to remain visible from the outside.
As discernible in FIG. 5, the coupon 1 is placed with one panel 3
offered to an outside face of the container 20, and held in contact
with the container through the agency of the overwrap 21.
The overwrap 21 is shrunk by the application of heat, and made thus
to hug the container 20 and the coupon 1 tightly.
The overwrap 21 adapts faultlessly to the coupon 1, since the
thickness of the coupon is uniform across its entire length and
breadth.
This self-evident advantage derives from the fact that the number
of panels 3 making up the main body 2 of the coupon 1 is matched by
the number of flaps 5 making up the grippable appendage 4.
* * * * *